Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference LIVE: Latest updates as heavyweights face off before fight

Re-live updates from Wembley, where the heavyweight champion and his challenger faced off for the first time since their fight was announed

Dillian Whyte: Tyson Fury ‘never knocked me out or dropped me’ in old sparring sessions

For the first time since their heavyweight title fight was announced, champion Tyson Fury and challenger Dillian Whyte went face-to-face on Wednesday afternoon.

Fury puts the WBC belt on the line at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night in front of 94,000 fans, in one of the biggest contests in the history of British heavyweight boxing. Whyte (28-2, 19 knockouts) has waited a long time for a shot at world heavyweight glory, and it finally arrives on the grandest stage as the Jamaican-born Londoner looks to become the first man to defeat Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs).

Whyte snubbed the first pre-fight press conference last month, electing to stay in Portugal to focus on his training for the bout instead. While the 34-year-old finally broke a long silence this week, saying among other things that Fury’s “mouth is like a toilet”, Whyte was not present at Tuesday’s open workouts at Wembley Boxpark. The challenger attended on Wednesday afternoon, however, marking the first time that he and Fury faced off since their title fight was made official earlier this year. All that is left are Friday’s weigh-ins and Saturday’s long-awaited heavyweight clash.

Re-live updates from the final Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference, below.

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

• Heavyweights face-to-face for first time since fight was made
• The bloody fairytale behind Whyte’s journey to fight Fury
• Fury coy on relationship with alleged crime boss Kinahan
• Cordial press conference ends in heated fashion
• Whyte hits out at ‘idiot’ John Fury for press conference confrontation

[20 April 2022 14:07 · Dylan Terry]

I’m trying not to think, ‘Oh, my God’: Whyte opens up on magnitude of Fury fight

Dillian Whyte has acknowledged that he is preparing for “one of the biggest moments” of his life, as he readies himself to take on Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium.

“It’s finally happening, so I’m trying to not think: ‘Oh, my God, it’s happening.’ I’m just preparing for it like any other fight,” the Jamaican-born Londoner told the BBC.

“This is one of the biggest moments of my life to be honest, and many times when people get into these positions, they start freaking out and panicking. I’m a warrior and I love fighting and I want to fight.

“I’m just trying to be easy, trying to be calm and just take it step by step. I’ve sort of been here – not on this magnitude, but I’ve had big fights before and I’ve been in positions where I’ve been the enemy before in big fights. So, I’ve gotten used to it.”

[20 April 2022 14:03 · Dylan Terry]

What time is Fury vs Whyte press conference?

The second and final pre-fight press conference is set to begin at 2.30pm BST at Wembley Stadium, and The Independent will be providing live coverage right here.

Then, all that will be left will be Friday’s weigh-ins and Saturday’s long-awaited heavyweight clash.

[20 April 2022 14:00 · Dylan Terry]

Fury’s father John insists his son will not retire after Whyte fight

Tyson Fury will not retire after Saturday’s fight with Dillian Whyte, according to the WBC heavyweight champion’s father John Fury.

Speaking at Tuesday’s public workout, he said: “Ninety-four-thousand people change a man’s mind in a second. Where can you go after that? You can’t go back to normality, you can’t go picking your kids up from school, reading the paper, going for a coffee at Starbucks. You want that bit more.

“We’re alright for a few weeks, but I’m his dad and I know him better than anybody. It won’t be his last fight. No.

“He’s got [Oleksandr] Usyk and he’s got AJ [Anthony Joshua] yet, the winner of them two. That’s enough to bring any man back. And that’ll be another 100,000 crowd with the winner of them, so what’s he gonna do? Watch all that take place while sat at home drinking coffee? That’s not Tyson Fury.”

[20 April 2022 13:56 · Dylan Terry]

Hearn tells Whyte to ‘unload everything’ on Fury in heavyweight clash

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has urged Dillian Whyte to “unload everything” on Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.

Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “Dillian Whyte can win this fight by knockout. I think he will lose most rounds, to be honest with you, because I think Tyson is very difficult to win rounds against.

“But if Tyson gets sloppy, if Tyson gets hurt...if Dillian can disrupt the rhythm like Anthony [Joshua] did not do against [Oleksandr] Usyk, cut him off in the ring, and when he touches those ropes, unload everything... It does not matter - belly, shoulders, neck, side of the head - anywhere you can hit him, because Tyson is very, very difficult to hit.

“Both men have been inactive but the inactivity for Dillian is slightly worrying and he has got to get into the fight early. You do not want to be six rounds in and be four or five rounds down in a fight like that because Tyson will coast from there.

“Dillian is very fit, very strong and this is his chance. He is not the type of guy to go in there and let him pass it by so I expect him to give everything on Saturday.”

[20 April 2022 13:51 · Dylan Terry]

Fury reiterates he will retire after Whyte showdown

Tyson Fury has reiterated he will retire after Saturday’s world heavyweight title fight with Dillian Whyte and brushed off the latest no-show by the mandatory challenger.

An open workout took place on Tuesday in the shadows of Wembley Stadium, which is set to be attended by 94,000 spectators this weekend.

Fury was put through his paces by trainer SugarHill Steward and insisted afterwards the domestic contest with Whyte will be the last of a professional career which started in 2008.

At last month’s unveiling press conference for the bout, the 33-year-old conceded Wembley could be his last hurrah but was non-committal during a virtual media event on Thursday where he insisted his only focus was on the fight, not what would happen after.

It was a different story after being put through his paces at BOXPARK Wembley, where Fury said: “That’s it. Get a good victory here on Saturday night, relax, sit back and enjoy life. I am loving every second of it (this week).

“It’s been a long old journey, ups and downs in my career, lots of ups and downs. I’m coming up to 34, 20 years as a boxer, that’s enough for anybody. There’s plenty of other stuff I need to do like look after my kids and wife and enjoy them.”

[20 April 2022 13:47 · Dylan Terry]

Kinahan sanctions ‘nowt to do with me’, says Fury

Tyson Fury insists the recent sanctions against Daniel Kinahan are “nowt to do with me” and says he has “absolutely zero” business with the alleged crime boss.

Kinahan, a man who has advised Fury in the past, was last week named as being a head of the Irish Kinahan crime gang and hit with worldwide financial sanctions by the United States government, who have offered a five million US dollars (£3.84m) reward for information on the group leading to the arrest and conviction of its leaders.

[20 April 2022 13:41 · Karl Matchett]

Joseph Parker makes prediction for ‘exciting’ Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte fight

Joseph Parker believes the elusiveness of Dillian Whyte has left questions unanswered for the Tyson Fury camp ahead of this weekend’s world heavyweight title fight between the two Britons.

Problems outside the ring continue to affect the domestic affair, which is set to be attended by 94,000 spectators on Saturday.

WBC champion Fury last week saw previous adviser Daniel Kinahan sanctioned by the US Government, with a five million US dollars (£3.84m) reward offered for information on the Irish Kinahan Group that would lead to the arrest and conviction of its leaders.

If talk of alleged crime boss Kinahan, who has always denied any wrongdoing, remains the elephant in the room, the repeated no-shows of Whyte are an unwanted inconvenience on top of the more serious subject.

Brixton boxer Whyte failed to attend last month’s unveiling press conference and was unable to make Tuesday’s open workout due to flight issues, having seemingly allayed fears over the ‘Battle of Britain’ going ahead by appearing on a virtual media call last Thursday.

Former world champion Parker pondered whether Fury’s opponent, who he lost to in 2018, was playing games but still expects his “brother” to land a devastating blow at Wembley this weekend.

“Fury knock-out between rounds five and nine,” ex-WBO heavyweight title holder Parker, who has been a training partner for Fury, told the PA news agency.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday afternoon’s main preview press conference, Parker continued: “Maybe Dillian is playing games or he doesn’t want to be involved in the lead-up to the fight? He will probably have to show up to the weigh-in but I am not sure what he is doing.”

Full report: